Dark as Night
by String of Pearly
Summary: The past can never be completely forgotten, no matter how hard you try. /Sequel to Bleeding Hearts.
1. Prologue

**Hey, guys! Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it (: I love Christmas. I've eaten so much candy today I'm going to get so fat. NO REGRETS.**

**So! This is the sequel for Bleeding Hearts!:) I didn't know if I'd ever get to writing one, but I was lying in bed one night and was thinking of a story line (is that one word or two?) and decided to write it. So here it is. (: If you haven't read Bleeding Hearts yet, you should probably read that first if you want to understand everything. I mean, you don't have to, but I'd recommend it(:**

**Well, here goes, tell me what you think, please(:**

Prologue

It was midday, and though the sun was bright, dark clouds were beginning to form as a cool air swept by, ruffling the fur of the seven cats who were walking in a close group. Their heads were bent low, their limbs aching with exhaustion; still, they didn't dare stop.

The stone was hard beneath their feet, hawks circling overhead as they struggled to stay on their paws. They were walking up a mountain, scarce of life, only a few bare trees jutting from the ground every now and then, only dead grass growing in tiny clumps. On the back of a white, long-furred tom lay the body of a golden-brown tabby, not moving an inch. He hadn't since early that morning.

Towards the back of the group walked a light brown tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws, amber eyes dulled with fatigue, reflecting not only what had happened that morning, but everything that had happened since her Clan had been destroyed in front of her eyes. She was lucky to even be alive.

She stopped for just a moment, turning around. A fog had risen over the land, but in the very distance, she could see the lake, and if she listened hard enough, she could _almost_ hear the gentle lapping of waves that she'd grown to know so well. She blinked softly as she looked at the trees surrounding it, so small now that they looked like little bugs. Way up there in this mountain, everything was quiet. But she couldn't forget the shrieks of cats she'd heard down in that forest, even just a matter of hours before.

She felt something brush against her fur, and she turned her head to see a dark gray tom, blue eyes soft with concern as he gazed at her. Her mate.

"Are you alright, Leafpool?" he asked quietly, resting his tail on her back. She swallowed, looking back at the gray lands in front of her.

"...Yes," she murmured, flicking an ear. "I... I'm relieved, actually. I didn't know if I'd ever leave that place alive." She paused for a moment, turning to look at the tom in the eye. "...It's just strange to know that we'll never see our home again."

He frowned, but a second later, he leaned forward, pressing his muzzle to hers.

"Leafpool, I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he whispered. "I lived up here for days, not even knowing if you were _alive."_ His voice quivered just a bit, and very slightly, his body began to shake. Leafpool could faintly feel it. "...And it killed me. But when I found out that you were still at the ThunderClan camp... And when I saw you there this morning..." He pulled away, shaking his head softly as he looked at her. "Leafpool, wherever you are is my home, now."

A small smile came to the medicine cat's face and she looked down at her paws, feeling, for a moment, the way she had when she'd first realized she was in love with him. She buried her face against his chest and he wrapped his tail around her. She felt, if only for a few seconds, completely safe.

"I really missed you, Crowfeather," she murmured, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to focus only on his scent and his warmth.

"I missed you too," he whispered. "And now, we can be together. The warrior code can't keep us apart anymore." He pulled away from her, looking up at the sky, his eyes growing darker. "...Because at this point, the Clans are struggling to even stay alive."

Leafpool blinked softly, looking over to see the group had gone on ahead a bit.

"Come on," she murmured, flicking the tip of his ear with her tail. "Let's catch up."

The two hurried ahead, pelts brushing together. They caught up with Cloudtail, who was walking in the back of the crowd, Thornclaw lying on his back and Whitepaw struggling to stay at his side. The apprentice had regained some strength, but it still had only been just that morning that she'd woken from her coma. Her legs were shaking and her breathing was uneasy, but Leafpool could tell that she was trying to stay strong. She had asked her if she'd wanted to rest, but she'd shaken her head and murmured that she was fine.

As the cats walked, the medicine cat looked over at Cloudtail, a weary aura around him, his fur ruffled.

"...Do you want me to take a turn carrying him?" she asked quietly. The white tom smiled weakly, but he shook his head.

"I'm fine," he murmured. "Tawnypelt said we'd be there soon... Right, Tawnypelt?"

The tortoiseshell she-cat walking in front of them turned her head to face them. She had barely spoken a word since they'd left ThunderClan's camp. She'd seemed to have been particularly hit by... Nightfall's death. Leafpool felt as if the two she-cats had shared some connection that no one else could see. Something that had made them more similar than anyone had really realized.

"Yes," she muttered. "It's not far, now."

"Alright," breathed Cloudtail. He looked over at his daughter, who was staring at her paws as she walked. "Are you hungry, Whitepaw?" he asked softly, frowning. "We could stop if you want."

"We're almost there," she mewed quietly. "I'm fine, really." She looked up at her father, offering a small smile. Cloudtail smiled back.

"You'll have quite a bit explaining to do to the rest of the Clan, Onestar," Ashfoot was saying as she walked with the tom at the front of the crowd. "But I'm sure they'll be glad to see that not only Tawnypelt is safe, but the ThunderClanners, too." She paused, looking over her shoulder at the group. Lowering her voice, she added, "...At least three of them."

The WindClan leader nodded, though he didn't respond. He was focusing straight ahead of him, looking concentrated on something.

"Where..." Cloudtail began, glancing around at the group. He swallowed. "Where are we going to... to bury Thornclaw? There's stone everywhere..."

"There's a place not far from camp with a bit of grass," Ashfoot replied, not looking back. "We can bury him there."

No one spoke for a bit after that. Leafpool lowered her head a bit, thinking about the life that tom had had. He had been one of the Clan's most respected warriors. It had also seemed that he had taken a liking to... The medicine cat swallowed, glancing up. As if reading her mind, Cloudtail suddenly murmured, "...What about Nightfall?"

There was silence for a moment. No one had brought her up this whole time, though she had been nagging at everyone's minds. Especially the ThunderClanners'.

"What do you mean, what about her?" came Ashfoot's hard reply. She kept her gaze in front of her. "I'd thought that she was a loner." Then, she looked over her shoulder, sending what almost seemed like a glare at Tawnypelt. The deputy narrowed her eyes a bit. "And that's what _you_ said too, Tawnypelt. You said you were the rogues' prisoner. You had to have known about her." She suddenly stopped walking, lashing her tail. "How could you lie to us?" The others blinked and halted as well, watching the two she-cats curiously.

"She wasn't all bad," the ShadowClanner muttered, avoiding Ashfoot's gaze. She looked as if she were about to continue, but the other quickly cut her off.

"_Not that bad?"_ the gray she-cat growled, fur fluffing up. "She's the one that _destroyed_ our Clans!"

Leafpool blinked softly, letting out a quick sigh. They were tired, and apparently getting aggravated.

"She lived with me in ThunderClan for a while," Cloudtail murmured, looking down. "She's a good cat. She..." He broke off, but now all the attention was on him. Cats were looking at him in wonder, especially his daughter, who was softly blinking her green eyes.

The white tom shifted uncomfortably, wincing a bit at the weight of Thornclaw on his back. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Do you all remember when the only trouble ThunderClan was having was with ShadowClan?" Leafpool looked at him. Tawnypelt flicked an ear. Cloudtail opened his eyes, which were suddenly shining with emotion and sorrow. Real, pure sorrow. "Do you all remember when Brightheart died?" was his next question, his voice scratchy with sadness. Whitepaw flinched a bit and she looked down at her paws, flattening her ears. Leafpool frowned and glanced around. Everyone was silent.

The tom shook his head, taking him a few seconds to continue. He lifted his head to the sky, as if somewhere, he was searching for his old mate. "At the Gathering after her death, I... I tried to drown myself."

Leafpool's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open slightly. She had _not_ heard about this. She looked around to see the others with shocked faces, not daring to utter a word. Whitepaw lifted her head, eyes huge.

"I was stupid," rasped Cloudtail, clenching his eyes shut again. "I was so caught up with Brightheart's death that I forgot that I was a father, too." He turned his head, looking down at Whitepaw. "I'm so sorry, Whitepaw," he whispered. "I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how I could ever be strong for you..." He shook his head a bit, legs shaking just slightly. "I'm so sorry."

The young she-cat shook her head softly, leaning forward and pressing her muzzle to her father's. Leafpool watched, a small frown on her face. It seemed like so long ago since Brightheart had been killed, yet she knew that this was something that Cloudtail had been living with every day since.

A few moments passed before Ashfoot murmured, "What does this have to do with Nightfall?"

Cloudtail turned to her, eyes narrowed just a bit. "She _saved_ me," he rasped. "She jumped into the lake and swam after me, pulling me to the surface. She could have died, but she saved me. And after the rogues took over ThunderClan, _she_ was the one that begged Dire to keep the rest of us alive. If it weren't for her, we'd be _dead."_

Ashfoot stared at him, whiskers twitching, not responding. A long moment passed before she turned away. Onestar lifted his head, letting out a sigh.

"Let's keep going," he muttered. "We're almost there."

Leafpool lowered her head, slowly beginning to follow after the group. Crowfeather brushed against her, and she looked up, giving him a tiny, exhausted smile.

The seven cats carried on, the wind whipping at their pelts as the clouds grew darker and the air, colder. Nobody spoke. Whitepaw remained very close to her father, and he lay her tail across her back. Onestar and Ashfoot led the way. Tawnypelt still walked alone. _She's the only ShadowClan survivor,_ Leafpool thought, and a moment later, she sadly realized that there hadn't been any RiverClan survivors at all.

Only a few minutes passed before Onestar began to slow down, lifting his head. Leafpool halted; not too far away, she could hear voices. It could have just been her imagination, but they sounded frantic and desperate.

The WindClan leader turned around, giving the others a brief nod. Stepping forward, they passed by a large rock and some dead shrubs, and when they turned the corner, they saw before them a clump of cats, most of them talking to one another in hushed whispers. But then, one by one, heads lifted as they stared at the newcomers with awe.

Onestar stepped forward, his eyes dark as he murmured to the others, "...We're home."

**So yeah, the prologue basically just picked up where BH left off, from the Clanners' perspective. Bare with me, the real story is coming, I promise! x3**

**Review and... oh. I mean, I guess I already gave Leafpool plushies out during BH. Uh. Does that count? Well, review and get my eternal love(: Even better!**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly:)**


	2. Chapter 1: Dreams

**Hey, guys! What's going on(:**

**Yay, chapter 1! Now that we've finally gotten to the real story, I guess I might as well say that this takes place about a year after BH ended- as in, a year after the Clan's total exile, Ross leaving the band, Dire, Nightfall and Thornclaw's deaths, etc.**

**I hope you all enjoy:) Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! It means a lot(:**

Chapter 1

_Dreams_

He saw cats. Everywhere. They were running past him through golden grass, laughing and smiling as they playfully batted at each other. Others were splashing through water, nuzzling each other as kits played at their feet. He looked around, and a young cat raced by him, nearly knocking him over. He didn't know if they could even see him, but he saw them. All around him, butterflies of every color floated through the air, a few kits jumping up and trying to catch them. He blinked softly, looking ahead to see a tall forest looming over him. The branches of trees seemed to stretch out for miles, the leaves beautiful shades of green and yellow.

He took a step forward, and then another as he made his way through the tall grass, pushing through a clump of dew-spotted ferns and into the dimness of the woods. There was a thin mist covering the forest floor, and the golden sunlight was seeping through the tall trees. The noise of insects and birds calling to each other was so loud he winced a bit. He looked around, seeing cats walking through the flowers and ferns, smiling, their eyes bright with life. Others were hunting nearby; there seemed to be prey everywhere. The laughter of kits filled his ears. Everyone seemed so happy.

He watched for only about three seconds more when suddenly a yowl pierced the air, followed by a second, and a third. The cats lifted their heads in wonder and fright. They didn't even have time to run, because all of a sudden, others appeared from a clump of bracken- a cat, and another, and another- there was a whole gang of them, their ears flattened, fur raised. He thought that they somehow seemed familiar, but they were moving too quickly for him to really tell. They leaped for the other cats, their claws flexed and teeth bared.

The air was suddenly filled with the noise of battle as everyone fought. Kits and elders tried to run, but they were caught and quickly killed. He looked around wildly, taking a step back. Blood was everywhere. Whoever these new cats were, they were winning. It only took a matter of minutes before the forest floor was covered with the bodies of unexpecting cats, their mouths still open in shock.

Something in his mind was telling him to help these cats that had been ambushed from out of nowhere. But he found that he couldn't move his paws, so he just stood there and watched.

The second the attackers had killed every cat in the forest, they began to ran for him. His eyes widened and he tried to run, but found, to his surprise, that they all ran right past him, not even giving him a second glance. Letting out a shaky breath, he turned around, watching as they ran out into the moors, their yowls getting further and further away.

Slightly hesitantly, he looked back at the scene that they'd left. Whiskers twitching, he felt as his paws stepped forward. He walked through the trees, glancing from left to right and back to his left again as he observed all the dead cats that lay at his feet. The birds and insects had grown quiet.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye flashed something white. He cautiously flexed his claws and turned, blinking when he saw, several foxlengths away, a she-cat, standing there and staring at him. She had a coat of pure white, her leaf-green eyes shining as she looked at him. She had no injuries at all, yet she was so skinny that he could see her ribs.

He began, "Who are..."

"Please help us," she interrupted, ears flattening, a frown on her face. She looked almost like a lost kitten, the way she peered at him. Before he could reply, she said quietly, "It wasn't her who he'd seen... It was you."

Just as he was about to ask her what she was talking about, everything around him suddenly began to blur. He took a step back, looking all around before he glanced back at the white she-cat. He tried to talk, but when he opened his mouth, no words came out. Darkness was quickly taking over his surroundings, but before it was all gone, two words whispered into his ears- "...The Clans."

A moment later, everything was black.

. . .

His eyes flew open, and when he lifted his head, he was in his den, a few others sleeping beside him. The early morning light was pouring through the branches of the bramble bush he'd made his nest under.

A cat rustled beside him, and he looked over to see a white she-cat sleepily lifting her head. His sister.

"Night, what's wrong?" the she-cat murmured, her sky-blue eyes half-closed. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," he whispered. "...I'm fine." He shook his head and staggered to his paws. "I'm going outside."

"M'kay," muttered the she-cat, who had already curled back up into a tight ball.

The young black tom stepped outside, careful not to wake up anyone else on the way. He blinked his eyes, yawning as he glanced around the stone hollow, trying not to think of his dream. It had been a dream, and nothing else. He... didn't need to worry.

It was early winter. A thin layer of snow already covered the ground, but it wasn't unbearably cold, yet. In fact, the sun felt warm. It was a beautiful day, and the sky was clear. A few cats were already awake, chatting to each other or eating breakfast. Night flicked his tail, blinking as he saw two cats approach him- his parents.

"Good morning, Night," his mother mewed with a smile. She was a pretty black and white she-cat, her bright blue eyes shining happily. Her name was Badger. Beside her stood Night's father, a lean, white tom with one black paw, a long tail, and round amber eyes. He smiled, too. His name was Mourn.

"Good morning," Night replied quietly, looking away.

"Is something wrong?" Badger asked. "You look tense."

"I just had a bad dream," he muttered, flicking his tail.

"What about?" Mourn asked, a frown on his face as his ears flattened slightly. Night looked at him, blinking softly.

"There were cats," he murmured. "It looked like our territory... They were laughing and playing. Then another group of cats attacked and killed them." He opened his mouth to tell them about the white she-cat he'd seen, but for some reason, he decided to keep it a secret.

He thought that he could see his parents flinch, just the tiniest bit, and they shared an uncomfortable glance. Night blinked, looking at them curiously.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," purred Badger hastily, clearing her throat. "Night, go wake up your sister. Me and Mourn want to take you out into the forest for some battle training."

The tom looked at her, but when she didn't say anything else, he rigidly nodded and turned to go back into the den.

Poking his head in through the bush, he looked at the others that were sleeping. There were three cats, all his and his sister's age. They were about as close to friends as he had. Blinking, he carefully crept over to his sister, prodding her with his paw.

"Luna," he murmured. "Get up. Mom and Dad want to take us out to train."

The she-cat groaned in protest, but after a moment she lifted her head, blinking her blue eyes tiredly.

"I'm up," she muttered, stumbling to her feet. She yawned, stretching out her small body before glancing at her brother. "What time is it, dawn?" she grunted. "Why are they even up this early..."

Nearby, a young ginger she-cat shifted, groaning a bit as she lifted her head, looking at the siblings with dull green eyes.

"Keep it down, will you, Luna?" she murmured. "It's so early."

"Sorry, Sun," whispered the white she-cat, tail flicking as she yawned again. "Let's go, Night."

The two stepped out of the den, immediately greeted by their parents who were waiting outside.

"Good morning, Luna," purred Badger. The she-cat just grunted. She was never one for mornings.

"C'mon, let's go," Mourn said, flicking his tail. his yellow eyes shining brightly. He trotted over to the stony slope and stepped up, Badger close behind. Night shared a glance with his sister before the two of them quietly followed.

The family walked together through the woods, the tall trees having been stripped of most of their leaves. A few squirrels were hastily gathering last-minute nuts, and a flock of birds soared overhead, probably heading south. The snow on the ground was thin and you could still hear the sound of crisp leaves under your paws.

Badger and Mourn walked with their tails twined, while Night stayed close to his sister, neither of them talking. Watching his father smile and joke with his mate, Night sometimes forgot that he was the leader of this band.

But he knew that not everyone liked his family. He could tell. He wasn't sure if the others could, but Night saw the way certain cats would look at his father as he stood atop the Highledge, or even look at _him_ as if he'd done something wrong. He felt as if they knew something about him that even _he_ didn't know. And then the memory of his dream came back, and the more he thought about it, the more real it felt.

He knew very little of his home. Mourn had told him that they used to live somewhere else, but they moved here after a fire had destroyed it. And that was all he'd told him. But that was undoubtedly the lake that Night had seen in his dream. Who were those others?

The four pushed through a clump of thin, browning bushes and into a small clearing. The sun shone through the opening in the trees, and Night squinted his eyes a bit.

"We're going to try some one-on-one battles," Badger mewed, smiling as she looked at her children. "Night, Luna, you'll be battling. Remember everything we've taught you so far. We'll be giving you advice as you go along."

"Good luck!" mewed Mourn, who sat down, wrapping his long tail around his paws.

Night turned his amber eyes to Luna, who looked back at him, lowering herself a bit as she prepared to fight. The tom narrowed his eyes, but before he could make a move, his sister came running towards him, brow furrowed in concentration.

Night leaped to the side, and Luna skidded to a halt, quickly turning around and lunging for him. She knocked him onto his stomach, but before she could get a firm grip on him, he managed to roll over onto his back, kicking out his back legs.

The white she-cat stumbled backwards, trying to regain her balance. Night rolled back onto his paws, quickly standing up, taking a step back and facing her.

He ran towards her, running to the left and racing past her, drawing his paw along her side as if he were slashing at her pelt. She quickly turned around, lightly biting his tail before he got too far away. The tom growled, coming in close and lifting a paw, striking it at her head. She ducked and dodged the blow, but Night quickly retaliated and landed another strike, this time hitting her cheek.

Luna hissed and attempted to step back, but her brother leaped forward, shoving her to the cold ground, pinning her down on her side and placing a paw at her neck.

"Stop," Mourn mewed, getting to his paws. "That was good." Night stepped back, letting the she-cat up, who snorted softly. "You've both shown a lot of improvement since you started your training," he said. "Remember that in a real battle, you may be fighting someone much larger."

"What do you mean, in a real battle?" Luna asked quietly. "Our band is alone. I've never seen any other cats around here. Who would we be fighting?"

Mourn frowned, and for some reason, his eyes darkened a bit. Badger glanced at him, looking a bit troubled.

"You never know what could happen," he responded quietly. Night eyed him curiously when he suddenly a heard a rustle from the bushes. They lifted their leads to see three cats appear- one was a gorgeous grayish blue she-cat with darker patches and stunning blue eyes. Another was a somewhat small, shaggy gray tom, with darker stripes and a white neck, muzzle and paws. There was another taller, more muscular gray tom, who watched the other group with a hard gaze.

"Hi, Sapphire," Mourn said to the she-cat. Badger smiled and waved her tail in greeting. Sapphire had always been good friends with Night's parents. "Maxwell, Tin."

"Hey," the gray she-cat purred before turning to Night and Luna. "Hey, guys. Training?"

"Yes," Night said, dipping his head politely. Luna smiled a bit, glancing at the two toms, who hadn't said anything.

"How's the patrol going?" Mourn said.

Sapphire frowned, looking at the other two.

"Actually, there was something we wanted to talk to you about."

Maxwell stepped forward, flicking his shaggy tail, a small frown on his face.

"Remember the badgers we spotted a few weeks ago beyond the moors? We've found traces that they're moving into our lands."

"Really?" mewed Mourn, frowning. "I thought they were gone."

"What are you going to do about it, then?" the other gray tom questioned, his tone just vaguely disdainful. Tin was Sapphire's brother, and the two were nothing alike. _This_ was one of the cats that Night had a feeling didn't like his father. Tin's eyes flashed as he asked the question, staring at his leader as his whiskers twitched.

Mourn glanced at him before asking, "How many of them do you think there are?"

"It's hard to say," Sapphire murmured. "Definitely more than one or two. They're probably traveling in a pack."

"I'll send a patrol out at dusk to see if they've come any closer," the white tom said. "If so, we'll have to drive them out." Night swore he could hear Tin mutter something beneath his breath, but he didn't catch it. And neither did anyone else, apparently.

"Alright then," murmured Mourn, straightening up. "We'll see you all back at camp after our training session. Carry on with the patrol." Sapphire smiled and dipped her head, nodding to the two toms as she lead them back into the woods.

The four weren't back at camp until almost noon, and Night's stomach growled hungrily. In the camp were a few pieces of freshkill; helping himself to a vole, he sat down by himself near the edge of camp. Luna had claimed she wasn't hungry and went to go find Coal, who she'd _insisted_ she didn't have a crush on. Night knew she did.

"Hey," came a voice, and the tom lifted his head to see that Sapphire had sat down beside him.

"Hello."

"How's the training going?" she asked kindly. "You and Luna are getting bigger every day." She looked out into the distance, chuckling lightly. "I remember when you two were born. Your parents were so happy..." She smiled. "And Mourn named you after his sister. You look just like her."

"Nightfall?" Night said, looking at her. He hadn't heard much about his aunt, but from the way his father had talked about her, he knew they must have been close. And Sapphire had been her best friend.

The she-cat smiled and nodded. "Mourn really loved her. She was... quite the cat." She laughed a little.

The tom watched her, curiosity suddenly taking hold of him.

"How did she die?"

Sapphire's smile faded, and her eyes clouded over. She raised her head, her gaze pointing towards the Highledge.

"She was pushed from there," she murmured. "By our old leader."

Night hadn't heard anything about an old leader. For all his life, it had been Mourn. His father.

"Why? What happened?"

Sapphire shook her head lightly, looking at him with a very faint smile.

"It's a long story," she said softly. "Have your father tell it to you sometime. He'll be able to tell it better than me."

Night looked away, thinking everything over. He suddenly wondered if this "long story" had anything at all to do with the dream he'd had. He sent a sideways glance at Sapphire and suddenly murmured, "What are the Clans?"

The she-cat flinched a bit and blinked in surprise, staring at him.

"Where did you hear about that?"

_So I was right,_ the tom thought, twitching his tail. _That dream_ did _mean something._

"I had a dream," he said quietly. "Before I woke up, I heard someone whisper that to me."

Sapphire let out a long sigh, and she didn't speak for a few moments.

"...Mourn didn't want you to know about this," she whispered, suddenly looking almost... afraid. Night looked at her with a bit of alarm, his heart starting to beat faster. What was his father hiding from him?

But before he could question her anymore, a voice called out, "Hey, Night!"

The tom lifted his head, seeing two cats waving their tails at him. One of them was Sun, the orange tabby she-cat, and the other was her brother, Hail, a light gray tom. They were his and Luna's age, so they all grew to be friends, along with Coal.

"Me and Hail are going hunting," Sun called, grinning. "D'you wanna come?"

Night hesitated, but Sapphire prodded him gently.

"Go with them," she murmured, smiling softly. He looked at her silently, lashing his tail before he turned to the two cats. He smiled slightly and nodded, trotting over to join them, but not before glancing at Sapphire over his shoulder one last time.

"Coming," he said, meeting with the two cats. They smiled at him, and the three made their way up the slope, slipping through the bramble barrier and out into the territory.

And though he tried to focus on what he was doing and joking and being with his friends, Sapphire's words never left his mind the whole time he was out there.

**Just to clarify, Night and Luna are about ten moons old. So, if they were in a Clan, they'd be apprentices. Same with Sun, Hail, and Coal, though I thought I'd made that pretty clear(:**

**So, tell me whatcha think(: Reviewers get a Night plushie(: And also my eternal love and gratitude and a lukewarm plate of lasagna!**

**PS, Jayfeather4ever, I think I already wrote this in TSS, but I can't reply to your reviews:( But you are lovely and thankyouthankyou!:)  
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**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	3. Chapter 2: Help

**Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I have a number of excuses. I've been super busy with school because I have a shitload of work in all my classes, and I've been working on the weekends, AND I've been rewatching my favorite anime... Okay, that last excuse isn't so good, but I literally can't stop watching it it's ssssoo good.**

**Recap: A young tom named Night has a dream in which he's standing in his territory by the lake, and all around him, cats are playing and hunting. Then, another group of cats appear and kill them. Night sees a white she-cat who begs him to help them. When he wakes up, he asks his parents, Mourn and Badger, about it, but they clam up. They take him and his sister, Luna, to battle-train, and are greeted by a patrol led by Sapphire, who tells them that badgers are entering the territory. When Night is back at camp, he talks to Sapphire about his aunt, Nightfall, who he was named after, as well as his dream, but she clams up as well. He goes hunting with some friends but can't get it off his mind.**

**Also, Jayfeather4ever, it says that you disabled your PM? I don't know brooo D:**

Chapter 2

_Help_

The air was icy and strong as it swept through the barren, rocky mountains, shaking the leafless trees and sending flurries of snow flying in all directions. A small golden-brown she-cat shuddered, flattening her ears, tail tucked between her legs as she stared at her paws, trying not to get snow in her eyes. She paused for a moment, lifting her head.

Up in the mountains, it was already a frozen Leafbare landscape, though it was still fairly early in the season. And already, too, prey was scarce. It had never been easy to find food up here, but now, it was even harder, and cats would be lucky if they didn't have to share each meal with another. The she-cat had been born during the previous winter, but she didn't remember it being this cold. Of course, she was only a kit. Maybe she'd forgotten.

"Let's keep going, Thornpaw," a cat said beside her. It was her mentor, a pure black she-cat with glowing amber eyes that stared at her with some emotion Thornpaw couldn't detect. It was the same emotion that this cat seemed to always have around her. And not only her, but her siblings, too. Even her parents. It was as if she knew some dark secret about her family that the apprentice was completely unaware of.

But then again, maybe she was just being paranoid.

"Nightcloud, we've been out here for hours," Thornpaw murmured, snow falling and clinging onto her pelt. "There hasn't been any prey _anywhere."_

The cat lashed her tail, whiskers twitching as she looked at her apprentice with something like disdain.

"You want to help your sister, don't you?"

Thornpaw flinched, immediately lowering her head. About a week ago, her sister had suddenly gotten sick without any warning whatsoever. She was so weak that she hadn't left the medicine den for days and has remained under the watch of the medicine cats, one of which was her mother, and another, her brother.

But still, Thornpaw was worried. Her sister could barely eat or even talk because she was usually coughing or rasping. She'd grown thin, and even within a week, it had become noticeable. She'd heard whispers around her that her sister had greencough. And she knew that greencough was a disease that many died from, especially during Leafbare. Whitetail had died from it the year before. Owlwhisker had had it too, before it had developed into blackcough which had slowly killed him.

Thornpaw bit her lip, realizing that she was now shaking, and not just because of the cold.

"Well?" Nightcloud said, narrowing her eyes just the slightest bit. The apprentice lifted her head.

"Well, what?"

"Do you want to help your sister, or not?"

"I _do,"_ Thornpaw exclaimed, a bit louder than she'd intended. But for some reason, she felt a surge of anger course through her body. She stared at her mentor, tail lashing, and she opened her mouth to speak... but nothing came out. She shook her head, at a loss for words as she desperately tried to get the image of her sister dying in front of her out of her head.

Nightcloud flicked an ear. "Then let's keep going."

. . .

The two cats returned an hour later, each with a small, scrawny mouse dangling from their jaws. At camp, few cats were outside. Those that weren't out trying to find food were huddling in the dens they'd made from bushes or crevices between rocks. Thornpaw pricked her ears, turning her attention to the medicine den. She glanced at her mentor, but the older she-cat didn't even look at her. Instead, she sulked off into the warriors' den.

The apprentice flattened her ears and made her away across the stony cliff, feeling anxiety well up inside of her with each step she took. She paused when she was outside the den, which had been made inside a crack between two boulders. Sucking in a breath, she stepped inside.

The den, despite how it appeared on the outside, was relatively large and roomy on the inside. It was dim, only the sun seeping through the entrance providing any light. It was warmer, though, and the floor was covered in moss. In the back was the herb storage, but even during Greenleaf it had been hard to find certain herbs.

The she-cat's attention was immediately turned to the black cat who lay in a nest of moss and feathers. She was thin, her ribs sticking out, fur untidy, tail twitching. Her head was laying against the ground, but she was awake, her green eyes half-closed as her chest rose and fell unevenly.

"Hi, Hollypaw," murmured Thornpaw, setting the mouse beside her. "I brought you something to eat."

Hollypaw opened her mouth to speak, but instead erupted in a fit of coughing.

Thornpaw glanced to her left to see a gray tabby tom staring at her, his blue eyes unwavering. The she-cat flinched a bit in surprise, but then after realizing that it was her brother, she whispered, "Jaypaw, how is she?"

The tom shifted his eyes to the she-cat on the ground, who was now leaning over to take a small bite of mouse before letting out a sneeze.

"Not too good," he said quietly. "Her coughing has been getting worse, and she's been complaining about having trouble breathing."

"So, it _is_ greencough?" Thornpaw asked in a low murmur. Jaypaw blinked slowly, finally giving a small nod.

"We think so."

"Hello, Thornpaw," a voice came, and the apprentice lifted her head to see Barkface, a brown tom with a short tail, sorting through some herbs. He was one of the medicine cats that her brother was training under.

"Hi, Barkface," she murmured. "Where's Leafpool?"

"Your mother went to fetch some water for Hollypaw," he explained, grabbing a few small leaves with his teeth and placing them beside the sick she-cat. "She'll be back in a minute. Hollypaw, please eat these leaves..."

The black she-cat nodded, leaning over to take a bite. She chewed it, swallowing with some difficulty before beginning another fit of coughs.

Thornpaw glanced at Jaypaw worriedly; the tom watched her quietly, his ears pricking as he then turned towards the entrance of the den.

A light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and a white chest appeared, snow clinging to her fur. She held a soaking ball of moss in her jaws. Quickly nodding to the others, she made her way to Hollypaw, lifting it above her face. The sick she-cat opened her mouth, water dripping down her throat as her coughing began to settle down a bit.

The brown tabby set the moss down, murmuring softly, "How are you feeling, Hollypaw?"

The apprentice frowned, eyes flickering dully with pain as her chest heaved up and down.

"I gave her some borage leaves, Leafpool," mewed Barkface, shifting about.

"Thank you," she murmured, her voice dry and scratchy. Thornpaw frowned, a pang of sorrow hitting her chest as she watched her mother. She could only guess what she was going through right now. She had already lost one kit, a tom named Lionkit. He'd died two days after he was born.

She glanced over to see Jaypaw looking at her, blinking his blue eyes slowly, a small frown on his face. He seemed to be able to tell what Thornpaw was feeling, and she felt that he could so often that sometimes she forgot that he was blind.

"...Hello?" a voice murmured softly, and Thornpaw lifted her head, watching as a small white she-cat entered the den, her green eyes wide and swirling with worry. Behind her came a long-legged dark gray tom, blue eyes glistening as he said nothing. It was Whiteleaf and Crowfeather, Thornpaw's father.

"I just wanted to see how Hollypaw was doing," Whiteleaf murmured, stepping beside Leafpool. The black apprentice had closed her eyes, twitching every now and then and letting out weak coughs.

Crowfeather padded forward and stood beside Thornpaw, placing his tail on his daughter's back. The she-cat glanced up; her father was wordlessly watching Hollypaw, his eyes glimmering with emotion. The golden-brown she-cat frowned, sensing an immense amount of sorrow coming from the tom. She looked at her paws.

Hollypaw's eyes shot open and she began coughing again, more violently this time, her throat raspy as her limbs twitched. Leafpool ran forward before glancing over her shoulder.

"Hollypaw needs space right now," she said quickly. "Thornpaw, Whiteleaf, Crowfeather, please wait outside for now..."

Thornpaw frowned and glanced up at the other two. Whiteleaf immediately nodded in understanding and turned, briskly slipping out of the den. Crowfeather wasn't so hasty; he lowered his head a bit, closing his eyes for just a moment before he turned, exiting the den, his tail low and ears flattened. Thornpaw looked at her brother, who returned the glance. He then looked down at his paws for a few seconds before stepping forward to help his mother chew up some herbs.

Thornpaw sighed and turned, stepping outside.

The cold air greeted her. It was growing dark outside; the sun would set soon. But it didn't even matter; the clouds were too thick to show it.

Crowfeather shakily sat down several taillengths from the den; Whiteleaf sat quietly beside him. Frowning, Thornpaw joined them, pressing close against her father.

"Hollypaw's going to be okay," she murmured quietly, lifting her head to look at him. "...Right?"

The tom looked at her, mouth open slightly, eyes shimmering so intensely that Thornpaw flinched a bit. The tom shook a little, and after a few seconds, he leaned down and rested his chin atop his daughter's head. The she-cat looked down, feeling her father's sorrow practically coursing through her veins. Crowfeather wrapped his tail around her, pulling her closer, and Thornpaw lifted her head, pressing her muzzle against the tom's chest, burying her face against his fur. She clenched her eyes shut, as if that would make everything go away. As if that would make Hollypaw better.

Beside them, Whiteleaf quietly whispered, "...StarClan help us."

**Well lookey here. Looks like Crowy and Leafy went and had kits, except poor Liony died after two days and they had another daughter named Thornpaw- along with Holly and Jay who I think most of you know.**

**Also, I'd like to point out that Whiteleaf is actually Whitepaw, aka Cloudtail's daughter. I know that her warrior name in the books is Whitewing, but Firestar gave her that name, and in this universe, Onestar names her. So there you have it.(:**

**I might be a little slow with updating, so bear with me. Y'all have been awesome for reviewing(:**


	4. Chapter 3: Bad Idea

**Oh, hey there people.**

**I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sssooorrryyy I haven't updated in forever. I've seriously been so busy. Seriously. Not even making up excuses. Well, anyway, I haven't given up on this story quite yet!**

**Recap: Up in the mountains, WindClan is still struggling to survive. Thornpaw, daughter of Leafpool and Crowfeather, visits her sick sister, Hollypaw, who has greencough. Thornpaw discusses it with her blind brother, Jaypaw, as Leafpool and Barkface take care of her. Whiteleaf and Crowfeather come to visit, but they leave with Thornpaw when Leafpool tells them she needs space. Thornpaw and Crowfeather quietly sit together as Whiteleaf prays to StarClan.**

**PS Jayfeather4ever it STILL says you disabled PMs! D: But you are lovely as always and I wrote that bit with you in mind (:**

Chapter 3

_Bad Idea_

On the very top of the Highledge stood a small, white cat, slowly blinking her light blue eyes, a cool wind ruffling her fur. It was evening, and the sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky a vivid orange, the trees and stones casting long shadows over the camp.

She flicked her tail, watching the cats below. Some were chatting or eating dinner, others already getting ready to sleep. From up there, everything seemed so... different. She noticed that her father would often stand here, silent, a bit of a sad look in his eyes. Sometimes Badger would join him, but they would never say anything to each other. It was as if they could read each other's thoughts and had no need for words.

"Hey, Luna!" a voice called, causing the she-cat to jump. She peered over the edge to see a handsome dark gray tom, a small, sideways grin on his face as he looked up at her, green eyes flashing. Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly regained her composure and straightened up, smiling slightly.

"Hey, Coal."

"What're you doing up there?" he purred, flicking his tail. "Last time I checked, you weren't leader."

She turned away to hide the huge grin on her face and quickly started down the rocky slope, jumping and landing neatly on the snowy ground.

"Not _yet_ I'm not," Luna said smoothly, walking up to her friend. "But it'll only be a matter of time." She flashed him a wide smile.

Coal snorted, a smirk on his face. "Well, what about your brother?" he insisted. "He could become leader instead, you know."

Luna looked at him. She'd thought about this a few times; Mourn had once told her that one of them would replace him as leader when he died. But which one? How could her father pick which one was better? It made her a bit feverish, because over time, she'd slowly realized just how badly she wanted to succeed Mourn. She'd never talked about this with her brother, and he was so hard to read that she could never tell just what it was he was thinking, anyway.

Her expression must have turned quite grave, because Coal quickly mewed, "Hey, you don't have to worry about that _now._ Mourn's still pretty young."

"Yeah," she murmured. "But that doesn't mean he has a long time left as leader."

The tom looked at her curiously, but didn't press her. Instead, he said, "Well, I bet Night doesn't even _want_ to be leader. He doesn't seem like that type of cat."

"God _knows_ what type of cat _he _is," Luna replied, feeling a bit taken aback by her words the second they came out of her mouth.

Coal frowned, looking uncomfortable; trying to change the subject, he said, "Anyway, have you eaten yet? We can share a mouse or something, if you want."

She quickly tried to shake her thoughts from her mind; flashing him another grin, she nodded.

"That sounds great."

. . .

It was night, and Luna lay in her nest beneath the bramble bush, wide awake. Night, Coal, Hail, and Sun were all fast asleep around her, but she couldn't even close her eyes, and she didn't know why. Her mind kept churning, thoughts entering her head that she couldn't get rid of. Her father, her brother, her home, and the stories she'd heard about her band's _old_ home before it'd burned to the ground.

A bit of silver light managed to seep through the bushes; the moon was almost full. Luna sighed, turning over in her nest, trying but failing to get comfortable.

She let out a long, frustrated sigh, lying on her back and staring up at the top of the den. A few seconds passed before she rolled over and got to her paws, carefully stepping over her denmates to reach the entrance and step outside.

It was cold outside, but the sky was clear. The large, oval-shaped moon hung in the sky, thousands of stars surrounding it. It was completely silent, except for the quiet rustling of trees in the wind and her own footsteps as she walked forward.

She sighed, sitting down in the middle of the hollow, looking up at the trees. She considered, for a moment, taking a walk through the woods, but her father's words entered her mind- _Never leave camp by yourself, especially at night._ She scoffed quietly. Coal, Sun and Hail were all allowed to leave by themselves, but not her and Night. Did Mourn not trust them? She considered the fact that he could have been only acting this way because they were the _leader's_ children. If something happened to them, who would take his place?

She narrowed her eyes slightly, tail twitching. She suddenly had an overwhelming desire to go against his orders, to go out into the woods by herself just to prove that nothing would happen to her. She wasn't being selfish, was she? She flicked an ear, getting to her paws. Looking around, she didn't see anyone, which was odd, because usually there were several cats who kept watch during the night. Before she could convince herself that this was a bad idea- and it probably was- she quickly trotted over to the stoney slope, her paws light against the snowy ground. Holding in a breath, she scampered up, being careful not to slip.

When she got to the top, she turned, casting one last quick glance over the camp before turning, taking her first step through the bramble entrance-

"Where are you going, Luna?"

The she-cat jumped and whirled around, seeing two she-cats approach her. One was a long-legged orange tabby with a white muzzle and paws. Her gorgeous blue eyes caught the light of the moon and glinted as she gazed at the younger cat with an odd expression that was hard to read. The other was a darker, shorter ginger cat with green eyes. It was Ember and Ruby.

Flustered, Luna looked back and forth between the two of them; "I... I was just..."

"Sneaking out and disobeying your father...?" purred Ember, taking a step forward. The white cat scampered backwards, eyes wide.

"No, I wouldn't-"

"We get it," Ruby said, smirking a bit. "You're just at the age where you want to do things for yourself, right? We've been there."

"In fact, it's healthy that you're becoming independent," insisted Ember, sharing a grin with the ginger cat beside her. "Right, Ruby?"

"Of course. You know what? Go ahead, get out of camp. We won't tell."

"Just as long as you aren't out for too long. Your father would _kill_ us if something happened to you."

Luna looked at the two curiously. They seemed to be having their own conversation that she didn't understand. She bit her lip, frowning.

"Really...?"

"Really," grinned Ember. "Go on, now."

Luna smiled slightly, a bit taken aback that they were even letting her.

"Thanks," she breathed, turning and slipping through the bramble entrance.

"Oh, and Luna?" Ruby called. "Watch out for badgers."

Luna slowly walked through the woods, and, suddenly feeling a surge of exhilaration, she began to run, through the trees, leaping over snowy branches that had fallen to the cold ground. She felt the wind in her fur, and a strange delight knowing that she was so easily opposing her father's strict rules.

The woods seemed entirely different at night, but she liked it. The moonlight helped her see, and there was a calm, peaceful silence all around her. She smiled a bit, feeling like she was flying.

She broke through a clump of snowy bushes into a small clearing, the moon shining brilliantly through the opening in the trees. Luna suddenly stopped in her tracks, feeling something suddenly course through her veins, so strong and powerful that she stumbled backwards, beginning to look around wildly. What was this feeling?

Then, just _faintly_, she swore she could hear... A voice. No, not just one voice, but many, whispering to her as she stood alone, her heart beginning to beat faster. She couldn't distinguish any words, but the voices were growing louder until she _knew_ she wasn't imagining things. Or maybe she was going crazy.

She turned, looking all around her, growing frightened. She took a step forward when she felt something strange beneath her paw. Blinking, she stepped back, pushing the layer of snow away to see a clump of dead flowers.

She lifted her head; were these the burial grounds?

And then, out of the dimly-lit darkness, a voice suddenly murmured, _"Luna... Go back."_

The she-cat whipped her head around, her fur rising, tail sticking straight up in the air. Her jaws parted, eyes wide as she glanced around.

"Who's there?" she breathed. "C-Come out..." The bushes rustled, but it was only because of the wind. There wasn't another living soul anywhere nearby.

_I have to be dreaming,_ she tried to convince herself, backing up. _What's happening to me?_

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she could see a shape move. Flexing her claws, she hesitantly turned, letting out a weak gasp.

Standing several taillengths away stood the shape of a cat; however, it was so faint that Luna could just barely see its outline and a pair of glowing amber eyes that seemed to stare right through Luna's very skin. In the background, she could still hear the hushed whisperings of others, but now, she stood frozen as she stared at this cat, too terrified to even move.

"I-I..." she managed to squeak, before swallowing and managing to mew, "W-Who are...?"

"It doesn't matter," the cat murmured, eyes narrowing slightly. It was the voice of a she-cat. "But you _need_ to go back to camp-"

"What's going on?" Luna demanded, her voice growing loud with fear and confusion. "What's _happening?_ Why can I see through you-"

"Because I'm dead," came the blunt reply.

Luna shook her head softly, trying to convince herself that she was hallucinating from lack of sleep. It wasn't possible. How could she be talking with a dead cat?

"You're not crazy, don't worry," the cat muttered quietly, just a hint of amusement in her voice. "But you have to trust me-"

"_Trust_ you?" Luna breathed, shaking her head again, more violently this time. Her head began to pound, the voices having gotten even louder. She clenched her eyes shut, not able to think straight. She had to get out of here.

Stumbling backwards, she suddenly turned, scampering off, through the bushes and away from the clearing.

Her breathing loud in her ears, she realized a moment later that she wasn't heading in the direction of camp. She didn't _know_ where she was going, and she could no longer figure out her sense of direction. Her heart was drumming against her chest, the voices finally having had stopped- what _was_ that? She was just tired. That _had_ to be the only explanation. Communicating with the dead... Well, that wasn't possible. It wasn't...

She suddenly tripped on a large root sticking from the ground, flying through the air and falling down a shallow slope, hitting against the ground until she finally stopped. Wincing, she squeezed her eyes shut, her head pounding as she lay in the cold snow. Maybe she should just stay there until her head was cleared and she'd calmed down.

_This was a bad idea,_ she thought bitterly, slowly lifting herself to her paws. She looked around, trying to remain calm. She should try to find her way back, now. She knew these woods. She'd be fine.

The bushes rustled nearby. At first, she thought it was only the wind, but then it grew louder. It sounded like a cat.

Hesitantly turning, she watched as, after a moment, a cat appeared from the darkness. She narrowed her eyes, trying to tell who it was- then, another appeared, and two more. She blinked, and a second later, an unfamiliar scent wrapped itself around her, and it was only then that she'd realized the fact that these shapes were bigger than cats. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, opening her mouth to speak, but then suddenly froze, eyes growing huge.

They were badgers.

Luna let out a shaky breath, taking a tiny step backwards, her limbs shaking as she tried to think things through rationally but instead only feeling fear. They were staring at her with tiny, dark eyes, and a voice inside her head told her, _You're dead._

Her mind spinning, she quickly tried to remember what her parents had told her about fighting badgers, but her mind was blank, and a second later, the four creatures began to lumber quickly towards her, making strange but vicious calls.

And within a heartbeat, the leading badger lunged for her, snarling loudly as it lifted up a paw to strike. But Luna just stood there, frozen, unable to move.

"..._Dodge to the right..."_

Quickly shaking her head, Luna jumped to the right, avoiding the blow as she quickly regained her balance. She let out a breath, blinking before glancing around. Who was that? Who had told her to...? Luna shut her eyes for just a second. She'd heard that voice before. It was the voice of the cat she'd just encountered in the burial grounds.

It spoke again. "_Look out behind you..."_

Luna whirled around, seeing that another badger was coming at her from the back, ready to attack. She leaped out of the way, running around behind it and swiftly jumping and landing onto its back. Not able to see straight, she dug her claws into its shoulders, trying to bite into its neck. It let out a low roar, but after a brief moment, it shook her off, sending her flying onto the cold, snowy ground.

Glancing up, she saw all four animals approaching her, surrounding her. She once again felt frozen, and she suddenly _hoped_ for the voice, hoped it would tell her what to do.

But it didn't.

Looking around wildly, she instinctively closed her eyes in horror, practically waiting for them to kill her.

But all of a sudden, there was a loud screech, and she opened her eyes; it was a cat. Before she could understand what was going on, there was fighting. Cats lunged themselves at the badgers, and after a moment she realized that it was the night patrol- Sapphire, Pine, and Vivi were all there, fighting the animals and snarling and hissing.

"Vivi!" came Sapphire's yowl in the darkness. "Go back to camp and get help! We can't fight them all off!"

"O-Okay," came the startled reply before the cat had turned and raced back towards camp.

Luna watched as the older she-cat slashed her claws against one of the badger's faces, causing it to snarl in pain.

"Luna!" Sapphire called, sending her a quick glance. "Are you okay?"

But before she could reply, she suddenly felt a searing pain across the back of her head, and for just a second, she was in the air before she landed on the ground with a loud thud. What had just happened? Her head began to throb so intensely she let out a wail, clenching her eyes shut. And when she opened them, the world around her was beginning to blur.

And then, just briefly, she saw the outline of the dead she-cat, her amber eyes staring at her, a small, oddly expressionless frown on her face.

And then everything was black.

**Well, I didn't really like this chapter, myself... I guess I just have to get back into the habit of writing more often. **

**Also, even though three POVs have been introduced (Night, Thornpaw, and Luna), chapters won't be necessarily evenly distributed between them. Haven't quite figured out the format yet, but it will probably be more random than Night then Thornpaw then Luna etc. Rambling.**

**Anyway! Thaaank y'all for reading (: Reviewers get a Luna plushie!**

**Till next time, **

**Pearly**


	5. Chapter 4: Eyes

**HI GUYS. Sorry again for the lack of updates :( I was away this past month and just got back. Hope you've all been well!**

**Recap: Luna talks to her friend, Coal, and later, at night, she decides to sneak out, unable to sleep. Ember and Ruby let her go, and she soon finds herself in the burial grounds. She begins to hear voices, even though she's the only one there, and someone tells her to go back to camp. She sees a she-cat with amber eyes, so faint that it's hard to tell what she looks like. She tells Luna that she's dead, and Luna runs off, soon running into badgers. She tries to fight them while listening to the advice the dead she-cat gives her. A patrol finds her, but she's soon struck in the back of the head, losing consciousness.**

**:)**

Chapter 4

Eyes

The world around him was hazy. He felt as if the ground was shifting, as if it were difficult to stay on his paws. He looked around; the wind was blowing fiercely, loud in his ears, and the falling snow made it cold and difficult to see. It was night, and he felt stone beneath his feet. His black fur was flying everywhere in the gust, and his amber eyes were half-shut as he winced, attempting to lift his head.

He didn't know where he was, but it wasn't like anywhere he'd been before- and it certainly wasn't the comfort of the stone hollow he was so used to. He strained his eyes, trying to make it out, but before him he could only see falling snow and the darkness.

He shivered, the feeling as if someone else was there suddenly creeping through his veins. Slightly hesitantly, he glanced over his shoulder.

Standing across from him was a cat. It was a she-cat, a bit small and quite thin, but her ruffled, snow-white pelt somehow gleamed magnificently despite the darkness. Her leaf-green eyes were gazing at him, and the tom's mouth fell open just a bit. A sense of recognition hit him, and he wondered where he'd seen her before.

He blinked. She had been in his dream, the one he'd had just a few nights before. He'd been standing in the forest, watching as cats he didn't know were killed right before his eyes. She'd been there. She'd been standing there, just like she was now, a moment before he'd woken up. There was no mistake. It was her.

Did this mean he was dreaming again?

"Who are you?" he said loudly, but cautiously.

She looked at him, a frown on her face. He noticed that her eyes were quite dull.

He said it again. "Who are-"

"Night," the she-cat said suddenly, blinking softly. "...That's your name, isn't it?"

He looked at her uneasily, shivering again as a cold gust of wind hit him.

"How do you know me?" he demanded, tail twitching.

"You're Mourn's son."

He started. How did this cat know his father?

"What do you want with me?" Night questioned slowly, voice low. He watched her carefully.

The she-cat suddenly looked sad. Her ears flattened a bit and she lowered her head, eyes glimmering.

"We need your help," she answered, voice barely audible. "Four of our cats have recently died. Another is near death, and others are starting to get sick. Food is running out and we're beginning to starve."

Night stared at her, shaking his head softly, bewildered.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. I-"

"We're dying," she murmured, looking at the ground. She stared at the snow for a moment before she suddenly looked up, gaze intense. "You're the only one that can help us."

"Who _are_ you?" Night asked again, just a twinge of irritation going through him.

She looked at him seriously. "I'm from the Clans."

He looked at her, trying to speak, but he couldn't find the words. She opened her mouth, continuing to murmur softly to him, but it was getting harder and harder to hear. The world around him was beginning to fade, and the next second, everything was gone.

...

"...Hurry... Woods... Luna-..."

Night blinked open his eyes, finding that he was in his nest beneath the bush. He grunted and flicked an ear, lifting his head to see that Coal, Sun and Hail were all awake, looking at each other in alarm.

He got to his paws, looking at them. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," fretted Sun, eyes wide. "But someone's yelling outside. I think I heard Luna's name."

Night stared at her, alarm suddenly coursing through him. Without saying another word, he darted outside and into the hollow.

In the darkness, he saw as dark shadows of cats began to emerge from their dens, all of them muttering to each other in confusion and fear. There was a clump of several cats who were crowding around someone- he saw, after a moment, that it was Vivi, eyes wide as she panted, ears flattened against her skull.

Before he had time to figure out what was going on, something appeared from the corner of his eye. He lifted his head to see his father standing at the very top of Highledge, his white fur blowing softly, his amber eyes wide. Badger appeared next to him, a look of horror on her face.

"_What?"_ he called out, silencing the crowd and attracting everyone's attention. Heads were lifted while others glanced uncertainly at Vivi, who shrank back a little.

"What's going on?" Mourn demanded again, alarm clear in his voice. "Tell me!"

"I-It's... badgers," Vivi managed to splutter. "They're attacking. We found Luna out there, alone. They were after her. Sapphire and Pine are trying to hold them back-"

"_What?"_ exclaimed Mourn breathlessly. "Luna's out there!"

Vivi flinched and lowered herself to the ground, as if it were somehow her fault.

"Y-Yes. Sh-She... She's hurt..."

A feeling of dread came over Night as he stood there on the lightly snow-covered ground. He felt, for a moment, like his heart stopped beating.

Mourn was standing at the edge of the Highledge, clearly panicking, eyes huge. But he tried to regain his composure as he demanded, "How many of them are there?"

"...Four," squeaked Vivi.

"And how far are they from camp?"

"Near the burial grounds..."

Mourn narrowed his eyes, lifting his head.

"Alright, listen up, everyone. I'll form two groups- One to fight, and the other to remain surrounding the hollow in case they should get this far. Keep the kits and elders in one den and anyone who remains here must be prepared to fight should the worst happen." He paused, glancing over the crowd, biting his lip. "Tin, Ember, Maxwell, Vivi, Coal, myself and Night will be the first group." Night pricked his ears when he heard his name, silently thanking his father. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand aside and wait while his sister could be...

"Herring, Badger, Sky, Sun, and Hail will remain surrounding the hollow, and the rest of you will remain here and prepare to fight if you have to. The cats I called to fight, we're leaving _now."_

With that, he quickly turned and scampered down the Highledge, nearly tripping over his own paws.

Night stepped forward, Coal at his side. They exchanged a glance, and Night noticed that there was intense worry in the other cat's eyes.

The called cats gathered together, Mourn muttering a few last words before he lead everyone up the slope and into the darkness of the woods.

They broke out into a run, and Night could hear his own breathing in his ears as he pictured his sister in his mind. What had she been doing out in the woods, _alone?_ He wondered, for a moment, if his parents would be angry, but he was quickly brought back into the reality of the situation.

"Th-They're up ahead," Night could soon hear Vivi squeak to Mourn, who was leading the group. "I can hear them..." Night could, too. There was growling and hissing and yowling and the tom narrowed his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for the fight.

They broke through a clump of bushes, and Night came abruptly to a stop. Several taillengths ahead, four badgers were growling lowly as they lashed blindly. Pine and Sapphire were struggling to hold them off, but they were alive.

Then, a pang of alarm hit him. Where was Luna?

The cats around him pulled back their lips and snarled, hackles raised. Mourn let out a hiss and called out, "Attack!"

But Night just stood there as cats ran around him, throwing themselves into battle. A second later, he quickly shook his head and chased after them, heart beating against his chest.

The sound of hissing and fighting filled his ears and surrounded him completely as he stood in the middle of it all, hastily glancing around. A large shape shifted in the corner of his eye and he turned to find himself face to face with a badger. He'd never been this close to one before; he'd only seen them far off in the distance. It wasn't incredibly large, but they were at least larger and bulkier than him. It had a long snout and claws and small, beady eyes that gleamed in the dim light. It let out a low roar and lumbered towards him, lips pulled back to reveal crooked teeth.

Tensing, the black cat took a step to the side and threw himself at the animal, scampering onto its back and digging his claws into its shoulders. It let out an odd snarl and shook itself violently, sending the cat flying off and landing roughly on the ground.

He winced and looked up, seeing Sapphire and Tin racing forward, eyes blazing. Night noticed how similar their eyes were. They were siblings, after all.

Sapphire lashed out a paw, hitting the badger across the nose as Tin ran behind it, sinking his teeth into its back leg. It growled and Night quickly got to his paws, about to leap forward to help when something caught his eye.

A few foxlengths from the fight stood a dark gray tom, tail sticking straight up in the air as he stood over a white lump in the cold snow. Night recognized Coal after a moment, and he narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what he was going. A second passed before his eyes widened slightly.

He ran forward, leaping past a large badger who was growling and fighting with Pine and Vivi. When he reached Coal, he skidded to a stop, panting unevenly.

At his paws was Luna, on her side and sprawled out on the ground. Her white fur was spotted with blood, and the snow had been splattered red. The back of her head was bleeding- or at least it had been, and she lay almost perfectly still, her sides falling up and down just faintly.

"Luna!" Night breathed, trying not to let fear take hold of him but clearly failing. He let out a shaky breath and glanced at Coal, whose eyes were wide and looked just as scared as he. "Coal, what-"

"I-I don't know," he muttered quickly, stammering. "I found her like this. She's unconscious. I-I think she got hit in the back of the head..."

_No, really?_ Night wanted to say, but he held his tongue and tried to suppress his irritation and fear. He lifted his head, glancing over his shoulder at the fighting. He didn't know what to do.

"Coal, we need to get her away from here," he murmured. "Help me lift her." The other tom stared at him for a moment, but quickly nodded, eyes still wide.

But before they could, the shrill voice of Sapphire called, "Night! Watch out!" The tom flinched and whipped around, seeing the badger they had been fighting, its black and white fur now splotched with blood. He couldn't tell if it was its own or the cats'. It raised its paw in the air, swiping it down. Night ducked just in time, avoiding the blow. Slightly disoriented, he stepped back, glancing at Coal over his shoulder.

"Get her _out_ of here!" he yelled, maybe louder than he'd intended. Coal quickly began to hoist the she-cat onto his back.

The badger growled and lunged forward, teeth glinting. The tom leaped to the side, slashing out a paw at the animal's shoulder and sending a few drops of scarlet into the snow. Before it could retaliate, the cat ran over behind it, digging his claws and teeth into one of its hind legs. From the corner of his eye, he could see Sapphire appear from the battle to help him as she struck at its other leg.

The badger growled loudly and began to shake the leg that Night was clinging onto, eventually throwing him off. The tom landed on his paws, taking just a moment to look around. There were only three badgers, now; one of them must have fled. He spotted his father fighting alongside Maxwell, and Pine, while Ember, Tin and Vivi fought off another.

He pricked his ears when he heard a strained yowl, and he turned to see that the badger had knocked Sapphire to the ground, her side now bleeding. She clenched her jaws together in pain as she lay at its paws. The young tom darted forward, letting out a loud snarl as the badger lifted its paw.

He leaped onto its back, trying to clamp his jaws around its throat as he dug his claws into its skin. But within a few moments, the badger managed to shake him off, leaving Night laying awkwardly on his side. It turned to him, lifting a paw and bringing it down to strike. The cat managed to dodge a potentially fatal blow, but not escaping entirely. He felt claws suddenly searing through his right ear, and he let out a breathless gasp, feeling warm blood well up. He couldn't quite figure out what had just happened, but his ear was throbbing intensely.

Quickly leaping to his paws, he stumbled backwards, letting out a shaky breath as drops of blood dripped from his ear and into the snow. He blinked a few times, not quite fully aware of his surroundings.

A moment later, he heard a strange, low roar, and he turned to see as the largest badger stumbled on its paws, bleeding heavily from several places. It averted its dark eyes to the others, letting out another roar, which they seemed to understand. It then began to lumber off, taking uneven steps and leaving a small trail of blood in the snow. The other two began to follow, more or less in the same state, until they had vanished into the night.

It was strangely quiet. The cats were panting, most of them bleeding themselves. Mourn lifted his head, a frown on his face and his fur matted with blood and covered in scratches in several places.

"Maxwell, Pine. Follow them to make sure they completely leave the territory."

The two toms nodded and ran off.

"Sapphire," he heard a low voice murmur, and Night turned to watch as Tin approached his sister, who was struggling to get to her paws.

"I'm fine," she breathed, flashing a crooked smile as she tried to reassure him. "It's fine. It's just a scratch. It looks worse than it is."

"You still need rest," he muttered, along with some other things that didn't catch Night's ear.

He looked over to see Mourn approaching him, but after a second, his father suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring at him with a strange look that Night didn't recognize. He blinked, waiting for him to say something.

"...Your ear," he murmured, frowning as he hurriedly took a few steps closer. "Are you okay, Night? How badly does it hurt?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, trying to ignore the sting he felt.

"It's torn," he said quietly. Then, he added, in a low voice and seemingly to himself, "Just like her's was."

"What?"

He quickly shook his head, and Night stared at him. Ever since he'd talked to Sapphire a few days ago he'd been noticing how much his father tended not to tell him. And he had a feeling that there was much more.

"Where's Luna?" Mourn asked, looking around with concern. Night started, almost having forgotten about her.

"This way," he muttered, hurriedly trotting through the snow and behind several trees. He glanced around and then spotted Coal, sitting with his tail wrapped around his legs. Luna lay on her side beside him. He got to his paws when he saw the two toms approaching.

"Luna!" Mourn gasped, running over to her. "What happened...?"

"I don't know!" Coal exclaimed. "She was like this when we got here. She's unconscious..."

"At least she's breathing," murmured Mourn, shaking his head softly and looking utterly exhausted. "I'm taking her back to camp. She needs this taken care of immediately. Night, you should come, too, so you can get something for your ear." Night nodded but said nothing. Mourn looked at him slightly curiously before nodding, too, and lifted his daughter onto his back.

He looked at the two of them again before turning and walking off, limping slightly and obviously having some difficulty with Luna's weight.

After a few moments, Coal turned to Night.

"Your ear looks bad... Are you okay?"

The black tom felt a twinge of irritation, and he narrowed his amber eyes slightly as he looked at him.

"No, but maybe it wouldn't have happened if you had actually been there to _help."_

Coal stared at him, taken aback.

"I had to stay here and watch over Luna!"

"You got her out of danger!" Night shot back, a hint of growl in his voice. "Nothing would have happened to her!"

Coal blinked, for a moment nonplussed before lashing his tail, narrowing his eyes a bit.

"And how exactly do you know that? How do you know one of the badgers couldn't have gotten to her behind our backs? If _you_ weren't going to stay with her, then _someone_ had to. I can see who cares about her more." He had a look of disdain on his face that Night had never seen on him before.

The black tom pulled his lips back slightly, growling, "I'm her _brother._ And I care more about her than _anyone."_

Coal snorted, a spark of annoyance flashing through his eyes. "Funny, because just this morning, she told me that she doesn't even know what kind of cat you are."

Night stared at him, silent. Had she really said that? He dug his claws into the ground, looking away.

"Let's just go back to camp," he muttered quietly, turning his back to the other tom and beginning to stalk off before the other could reply, his right ear stinging.

. . .

"Are you sure you're alright?" Badger asked quietly, a frown on her face, blue eyes shimmering with worry.

"I'm fine," murmured Luna softly, forcing a smile as she lay in a bed of moss. "I just needed rest. I feel much better now."

Night was with his mother and sister in his parents' den at the top of the Highledge. It was the next afternoon, and those who had fought had been resting and getting help from their friends and family members. Luna had just woken up a few hours earlier.

"I think you should still rest at least a few more days until we start training again," Badger murmured, looking over her daughter in concern. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I'm fine, really," insisted Luna, though her eyes were dull with fatigue and whenever she shifted she would wince just a bit. She glanced up, and Night caught her gaze, noticing as a frown fell upon her face. "Mom, can you get me something to eat?" she asked quietly.

"I was just about to," mewed Badger, getting to her paws. "I'll be right back. Night, watch her until I get back." The tom flicked an ear as she slipped out the entrance.

Once she was gone, he turned to his sister, saying nothing. For some reason, what Coal had said to him kept lurking through his mind, and he wasn't even sure what to say or do. He expected her to talk to him about the fight they'd had; surely he'd told her about it by now. He knew how close they were, and he knew how much she cared about him.

But she didn't bring it up, or anything like that at all. Instead, she looked away, saying quietly, "...I went outside by myself last night. That's why I ended up like this."

He looked at her, silent, not knowing what to say. He swallowed and opened his mouth, but she continued to speak.

"I... I saw a cat."

He pricked his ears, looking at her curiously.

"What do you mean? Who?"

"I don't know," she admitted, looking down. "But..." She broke off, shaking her head softly. "No. You'll think I'm crazy."

He looked at her, a bit wary. Swallowing again, he managed to mutter, "No, I won't." He wasn't sure if he was telling the truth.

She shifted uncomfortably, sucking in a breath. "She was dead."

Night looked at her soundlessly, flicking an ear and trying to read his sister's expression. He looked for any signs that she was joking, but what he found in her eyes was something closer to fear. He felt some sort of pang in his chest.

"...I believe you," he murmured softly. She looked up, a bit surprised.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "What... What did they say to you?"

She frowned and clenched her eyes shut as if trying to remember. "She..." She blinked them open, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "She told me to go back to camp... If I'd listened to her, I wouldn't have ended up this way..." She pricked her ears, as if remembering something else. "Before Sapphire, Pine and Vivi came, when I tried to fight the badgers alone, I could hear her. She gave me advice and told me what to do. I..." She broke out into a tiny, half-hearted laugh, shaking her head weakly. "I really am crazy, aren't I?"

"No," Night murmured, though he said nothing else to assure her. He frowned. "What did she look like?"

"It was hard to see," Luna mewed quietly. "I could just barely see her outline. But..." She looked directly at him, her mouth falling open just slightly, squinting her eyes a bit as if in bewilderment. Night looked at her, ears pricked.

She shook her head softly, a tiny smile forming on her face before she murmured, "...She had your eyes."

**Lalala. I'm so tired. Going to bed. :)**

**Review por favor (?) :)**

**I'm too tired to think about anything.**

**Thanks for everyone who's been reading! Love y'all.**

**TNT,**

**Pearls**


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